KINGSTON, RI  September 5, 2002 -- The first annual Cox Charities Cycling Classic will be held on Saturday, September 7, at the University of Rhode Island. The day-long event will feature over 400 race competitors, 100 volunteers, and attract an estimated 1,000 spectators to the URI campus in Kingston.

Motorist including URI students, faculty, employees and visitors to campus on race day should be aware of the road restrictions enforced on areas of the campus. The restrictions will be in effect 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Parking at the Fine Arts Center is restricted to cyclists, volunteers and race spectators. Both the start and finish lines are at the Fine Arts Center.

The stretch of Flag Road near the Fine Arts building will be closed to traffic during the day-long event as will Heathman, Butterfield and Baird Hill Roads.

Road restrictions will be strictly enforced.

"Some of the worlds best cyclists are going to compete in the Cox Charities Cycling Classic, making this one of the premier cycling events in the country. Cox Charities Cycling Classic Race Director Gary Dalton. " I encourage students to come out and witness a truly exciting event."

Dalton also encourages students  as well as visitors to the URI campus on Saturday  to adhere to the road restrictions.

"For the safety of the cyclists, the volunteers and the spectators, it is vital that anyone driving through campus on race day, adhere to the road restrictions," said Dalton. "The safety of everyone involved with the Cox Charities Cycling Classic is our primary concern."

The 5-event criterium program will attract some of the worlds best cycling talent, including Olympic Gold Medalist Marty Nothstein, 2002 Russian National Champion Oleg Grichkine and 2002 U.S. Professional Criterium Champion Kevin Monahan. The Claissic kicks off at 10:30 a.m. with the first of four amateur races. The professional race is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.

Proceeds from the Cox Charities Cycling Classic will benefit Cox Charities. Cox Charities is a charitable giving initiative created by Cox Communications in conjunction with the United Way to support local childrens causes. Since the programs inception one year ago, Cox Charities has presented over $75,000 in grants to local non-profit organizations, including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Pawtucket, Caritas House, the Boys & Girls Clubs of East Providence, City Year, Groundwork Providence, Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County, Boys & Girls Clubs of Warwick, Progreso Latino, NCCJ and Westerly-Pawtucket YMCA.

The Cox Charities Cycling Classic is co-sponsored by OLN and Motorola. Presenting sponsors include Cox Business Services and Docu-Print. Official sponsors include Cox Communications, University of Rhode Island, Dasani, Cox3, Cable-Rep Advertising, Arris, Mercury Print & Mail, Endurox-R4 and Accelerade Sports Drink. The race, which is promoted by Pave` Productions, is co-hosted by Cox Communications Cycling Team and Squadra Casterama.

For more information on the Cox Charities Cycling Classic, call Gary Dalton at 789-2087, visit the W.E. Stedman Co. at 196 Main Street in Wakefield, RI, or log on to www.paveproductions.com. Racers can register on-line at www.BikeReg.com.

Cox Communications, a Fortune 500 company, serves approximately 6.2 million customers nationwide, making it the nations fifth largest cable television company. A full-service provider of telecommunications products, Cox offers an array of services, including Cox Cable; advanced digital video programming services under the Cox Digital Cable brand; local and long distance telephone services under the Cox Digital Telephone brand; high-speed Internet access under the brands Cox High Speed Internet, Road Runner and Cox Express; and commercial voice and data services via Cox Business Services. Cox is an investor in programming networks including Discovery Channel. More information about Cox Communications can be accessed on the Internet at www.cox.com.